Week 1 of 8 – Tuesday
5 mins Swim easy
Where do you exhale? Are you still exhaling when your face is out of the water? Try not to. Bring awareness to your breath.
4 minute steady swim+ 15 rest
Repeat x 3
1min – Breathe every 3 strokes (B3)
1min – Breathe every 5 strokes (B5)
1min – Breathe to the left (BL)
1min – Breathe to the right (B2)
Do you notice a difference with each one? Try to ensure your exhale is finished before your face leaves the water.
5 x sink downs + 30 seconds steady swim + 5 rest
Repeat x 5
Sink downs – how too:
- Start with body vertical.
- Breathe in then as you exhale let yourself sink to the bottom. Aim to not use your arms and keep your legs still.
- Once at the bottom jump up to the surface, inhale and fall back down. Try to make the movement continuous.
- This should be fun. If you can’t sink you are likely not exhaling fully, not relaxed or extremely floaty.
5 x sink downs + 30 seconds hard swim +1 5 rest
Repeat x 5
5 mins non stop: swim strong
Feel alive, exhaling fully at the right time.
Week 1 of 8 – Friday
5 mins Swim easy
Where is your body? – goal is horizontal to the surface – are some bits lower than others
10seconds float + 60seconds Swim + 15 rest
Repeat x 5
Float on surface for 10 sec with body horizontal, then swim holding this horizontal posture for 1 minute.
Floating tips–
- Arms out on front inline with shoulders
- Aim to get body horizontal and move different parts of your body slowly to see how you can get flatter.
- Play with where you look under water, where your face sits.
- Turn on your core. Tilt your pelvis, move your sternum
Float + 10 seconds flat out kick – 30seconds swim steady + 10 rest
Repeat x 5
start in a floating position, then kick hard for 10 seconds, swim easy for 30 seconds
1 minute Swim + 15 rest
Faster pace than a normal long swim – 80% effort
5 mins non stop: swim strong
Feel long in the body, be aware of your body position, do what you need to do to get your body horizontal.
Week 2 of 8 Tuesday
Todays swim aims to bring alignment, rotation and balance to your stroke. As you swim focus on remaining long, balanced and activate your core. Hands want to enter the water in line with your shoulders not your head.
Do the following 2 x
3 mins Swim steady
Stretch out, feel like your head body, legs and feet are in the shadow of your hands – swim long and relaxed.
2 mins Swim harder
Get your heart rate higher – up the effort pushing your hands all the way back to your thighs.
Then – with or without fins
[1 minute 6-1-6 + 2 minutes swim] repeat 3 x’s
Starting on side with bottom arm out in front like superman, top arm resting on thigh, inhale, put face in water and kick to count of 6 keeping face in water.
Lift top arm and enter it cleanly along side your head. As it enters push bottom arm back to thigh and breathe to that side. You should now be on your other side. Inhale and repeat. – watch the video if you aren’t sure!
[1 minute 6-3-6 then 2 minutes swim] repeat 3 x’s
Just like 6-1-6 but take 3 strokes in the middle
Goal is not to let your lead hand collapse. Don’t let it move until top hand enters the water. Aim to stay slinky!
Swim 40 strokes nice and long, 20 strokes flat out x 5
No explanation needed – really go for it!
Swim Easy home
Feel alive, exhaling fully at the right time.
Week 2 of 8 Friday
5 mins Swim easy
Where do you exhale? – Are you still exhaling when your face is out of the water? Bring awareness to your breath.
4 minute steady swim+ 15 rest
Repeat x 3
1 – Breathe every 3 strokes (B3)
2 – Breathe every 5 strokes (B5)
3 – Breathe to the left (BL)
4 – Breathe to the right (B2)
Do you notice a difference with each one? Try to ensure your exhale is finished before your face leaves the water.
5 x sink downs + 30 seconds steady swim + 5 rest
Repeat x 5
Sink downs – how too:
- Start with body vertical.
- Breathe in then as you exhale let yourself sink to the bottom. Aim to not use your arms and keep your legs still.
- Once at the bottom jump up to the surface, inhale and fall back down. Try to make the movement continuous.
- This should be fun. If you can’t sink you are likely not exhaling fully, not relaxed or extremely floaty.
5 x sink downs + 30 seconds hard swim +1 5 rest
Repeat x 5
5 mins non stop: swim strong
Feel alive, exhaling fully at the right time.
Week 3 of 8 Tuesday
Tuesday
Focus – push back to your feet – more rectangle than circle.
5 min warm up
Gently roll your arms over. Watch and feel what do your hands do. Do they:
· Move continuously at the same speed
· Change speed at different parts of the stroke
· Move underwater in the shape of a
— Semicircle
— Wiggly line or ‘S shape’
— Straight line from full extension back to hip
— With awareness we can bring change.
Vertical scull for 30 seconds + 1 min swim – repeat x 5
Elbows locked in at your side. Bring one hand horizontal to your elbow then push water to the bottom of the ocean with your palm. Bottom of the ocean – not the bottom and then behind you. Continuously alternate arms then swim feeling that extra length and power in your stroke.
Point to Point repeat x 8 with 30 rest after each
Pick a distance approx, 25-50m long.
One way steady feeling the push at the back of your stroke.
Return aiming to hold that connection pushing harder to go faster. Gentle vertical scull as you rest.
3 minute efforts – plus 30 rest repeat x 4
Find a distance approximately 200m. Swim this at 80% effort. Try to maintain pace and form. Last one slow to finish
Week 3 of 8 Friday
Focus on hands entering inline with shoulders. If you have a swim buddy take turns to watch each other. Notice if hands enter out from shoulder, wider or across their midline.
6 min Swim
1min breathe every 3strokes (B3), 1 min B5 and repeat
2 min swim repeat x 5
Swim proud – imagine a tray of champers on your chest – don’t slouch you will spill it. Helps with hand alignment
Aim for 75% effort whilst maintaining posture.
Take 15/20 rest to regroup.
Then – with or without fins
[30 seconds 6-1-6 + 2 minutes swim] repeat 4 x’s
Watch Tuesdays video for ‘how to’ 6-1-6 if you missed it.
As you practice focus on entering arm smoothly extending forwards from shoulder – maintain posture – don’t let it come across the midline. Focus!
Point to Point
One way easy, return flat out. Repeat x 5 plus 30 rest.
Pick a distance approx. 25-50m apart.
Challenge yourself to take fewer strokes on the fast than the slow. Remember your posture.
Swim Easy
Take some strokes underwater, twist and turn rotating on to your back and back to your tummy as your return back to your gear. Playfulness can make you a better swimmer!
Week 4 of 8 Tuesday
Tuesday
Focus – push back to your feet – more rectangle than circle.
Focus – Sighting in the ocean is important for safety, and swimming straight saves times and distance in swim events. Waves & currents will take you off course making sighting even more important on crazy days.
Warm Up- 5 min swim. Bring awareness to how you know where you are swimming. Do you look at others? lift your head? Stop swimming and look around? Just lift your eyes?
9 x 1min efforts alternating: Swim, Kick, Pull.
· Swim – activate your core feel strong and long
· Kick –from the hip, small fast kicks – no knee bending.
· Pull – imagine squeezing a pull buoy between your legs. Drive your hips with your shoulders and as your hand pushes past your torso turn your tummy button to say hi!
DO YOU NEED TO SIGHT? HOW OFTEN?
Straight line Challenge – Aim towards a point. Swim with your eyes closed. Have a mate count your strokes until you go off course. Try from different directions. Go off course after 4 strokes – that’s how often you need to sight!
Sight Like a Crocodile – Don’t breathe and sight at the same time. Lift only your eyes with your lead arm strong out in front – make it snappy – watch video for more.
9 x 100m Swims [or up to 2 mins swimming] plus 10 rest
1 – Swim sighting every 3 strokes, 2 Swim 80% – hold your stroke, 3 – Swim sighting every 9 strokes and swim 75%
repeat this cycle resting after each 100 for just 20. Keep strong as you sight.
Swim to shore and get warm
Week 4 of 8 Friday
Focus – where you look when you inhale – 4 o’clock is a good time, if 12 is out the top of your head and 6 is out your clacker! See where you look as you warm up.
2 min Swim breathe every 3strokes (B3),
2 min Swim breathe to the left
2 min Swim breathe to the right,
2 min Swim breathe every 5 strokes (B5)
2 min Swim B7 – you read it! – Can you do it?
5 min swim alternating head position + 5 swim at 4!
Rotate through 30 strokes looking at 2, 30 at 3, 30 at 4. Feel the difference. For the second 5 minutes try to find a groove breathing at 4 o’clock.
9 x 100m Swims [or up to 2 mins swimming] plus 10 rest
1 – Swim easy, 2 Swim medium – hold your stroke, 3 – Swim FAST
repeat this cycle resting after each 100 for just 10 – the next swim is your recovery after the fast. This helps buffer the start of a race when you go out quick but need to keep swimming
Make like a Mermaid – 10 breaths, Swim normal 10 breaths, Swim fast 10 breaths – repeat x 4 + 20 rest.
This is more fun with fins if you have them:
Breastroke arms to lift your head and breathe in then move under water, arms out in front with a gentle dolphin/butterfly undulation, keep your legs together and use your whole body.
Go straight into the normal swim or do a different stroke if it takes your fancy then go hard for a short burst. Rest and repeat
Swim home and enjoy the day
Week 5 of 8 Tuesday
Tuesday
Focus –Catch the water and push back to your thighs in a straight line.
300m Swim (5mins) – Be aware of the path your hands take through the water as you ease into your swim.
30 seconds build + 30 seconds easy repeat x 4
Get your body nice and warm starting slow on the build and finishing fast before cruising for 30 as you recover and repeat.
Salt and Peppa drills for 10 + 1 mins swim repeat x 5
Break your catch and pull into a series of shapes – watch the video for the full low down on facebook
Lay face down in water – arms outstretched inline with shoulders. (hands should not be touching)
- Slowly point finger tips to the bottom of the ocean, bending elbows and keeping hands infront of your head. Like you are placing your hands on a box
- Hold this position for a second then push back in a straight line powerfully back to your hip. (don’t breathe in now).
- Then recover your hands underneath your body, breathe in and return to the start. Your legs do nothing so a pull buoy may help here.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds core on, 30 core off
notice the difference.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 x Ins and Outs + 20 rest.
Start 12m from shore. Swim to shore and run/walk up the beach to touch a point approx. 5-10m up the beach. Turn around and run/ swim back to your starting point.
Focus – use your body to swim faster. Rotate around your centre axis like a chicken on a spit for power.
Week 5 of 8 Friday
300m Swim (5mins) – Take it easy – check your posture, your head position and your alignment.
Repeat the following 4 times through
30 seconds vertical kick – Legs long, kick from the hip. Small flutter kicks beneath your body. Hold your core strong and hug yourself. Good kick action will keep you afloat.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds core on, 30 core off
notice the difference.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds core on, 30 core off
notice the difference.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 x Ins and Outs + 20 rest.
Start 12m from shore. Swim to shore and run/walk up the beach to touch a point approx. 5-10m up the beach. Turn around and run/ swim back to your starting point.
Swim easy home – have a brilliant weekend.
Week 6 of 8 Tuesday
Focus –using your body for power…evenly.
5 mins Swim With your body
Feel your body rotating evenly to each side on each stroke not just when you breathe in.
4 minute steady swim+ 15 rest
Repeat x 3
1 – Breathe every 3 strokes (B3)
2 – Breathe every 5 strokes (B5)
3 – Breathe to the left (BL)
4 – Breathe to the right (B2)
Do you notice a difference with each one? Does your body over rotate to one side or only rotate when you inhale.
2 minute steady swim+ 15 rest
Repeat x 4
1 –Focus on your hips for drive and rotation
2 – Drive with your shoulder
Do you notice a difference with each one? Which feels more powerful?
1 minute as 30 fast 30 recovery+ 15 rest
Repeat x 3
1 –Give it some effort – really try to use your body for power
2 – Swim easy and let your body do the work taking the load off your arms
Swim easy home with a smile on your dial.
Week 6 of 8 Friday
Focus –Catch the water and push back to your thighs in a straight line.
300m Swim (5mins) – Be aware of the path your hands take through the water as you ease into your swim.
30 seconds build + 30 seconds easy repeat x 4 Get your body nice and warm starting slow on the build and finishing fast before cruising for 30 as you recover and repeat.
Salt and Peppa drills for 10 + 1 mins swim repeat x 5
Break your catch and pull into a series of shapes – watch the video for the full low down on facebook
Lay face down in water – arms outstretched inline with shoulders. (hands should not be touching)
Slowly point finger tips to the bottom of the ocean, bending elbows and keeping hands infront of your head. Like you are placing your hands on a box
Hold this position for a second then push back in a straight line powerfully back to your hip. (don’t breathe in now).
Then recover your hands underneath your body, breathe in and return to the start. Your legs do nothing so a pull buoy may help here.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds core on, 30 core off
notice the difference.
3 min swim – alternate 30 seconds fast, 30 slow
3 x Ins and Outs + 20 rest.
Start 12m from shore. Swim to shore and run/walk up the beach to touch a point approx. 5-10m up the beach. Turn around and run/ swim back to your starting point.
Swim easy home – have a brilliant weekend.